Scotland’s first minister Humza Yousaf says his family in Gaza are alive after losing contact with them
Scotland’s first minister has said his family in Gaza are alive after sharing he had lost contact with them amid Israeli bombardment.
The family of Humza Yousaf’s wife, Nadia El-Nakla, are stuck in the country amid the ongoing conflict.
Humza Yousaf revealed, on X, formerly known as Twitter, this morning, that he had heard from his in-laws in the besieged strip, thanking God that they are alive.
He wrote: “We heard from my in-laws in Gaza this morning, they are alive, thank God. However, they have run out of clean drinking water.
“The UN resolution must be implemented. We need the violence to stop, and for significant amounts of aid to get through without delay.”
Ms El-Nakla’s mother, Elizabeth, and her husband, Maged, travelled to the region ahead of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 and have been trapped ever since.
Mr Yousaf had said on Friday he had been unable to contact his in-laws after communications in Gaza were cut off, adding he could “only pray they survive the night”.
The first minister ended his post with “#CeasefireNow”, a trend calling for a ceasefire between the Israeli government and the Hamas militant group, which has amassed over 2.6 million posts on X.
The First Minister previously wrote to all political leaders in the country, urging them to back a ceasefire in Gaza.
In a letter understood to have been sent on Thursday evening, he said Israel has a right to defend itself following the attacks but added action must be taken now to stop the “staggering humanitarian disaster” unfolding in Gaza before it becomes “cataclysmic”.
Prime minister Rishi Sunak, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, the leaders of the major parties in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all received Mr Yousaf’s letter.
